The present invention relates to a label for the identification of an object, in particular an ear clip for marking cattle, of the type comprising a support element for carrying information and means for attaching said element to the object to be identified, the support element having an information region adapted to receive intelligible data on the object and a region for carrying items of information which are not intelligible directly by unauthorized persons.
Labels of this type are known in which the unintellible information carrying region is adapted to receive data in various forms. For example, some labels have an edge which is specially profiled by notches of different depths to which a particular value is assigned. Such a label is prepared and read by means of special apparatus available to authorized persons who, when it concerns the identification of cattle, may be the veterinary services. Other labels are provided with apertures disposed in accordance with a given network in the manner of perforated cards. Other labels comprise magnetic tracks on which the items of information are recorded.
Prior labels have the drawbacks of being limited with respect to the amount of the information it is possible to record thereon and the possibilities of processing the received information. Particularly in the case of cattle, it is often desirable to obtain easily and rapidly knowledge of a large number of data concerning an animal, such as, for example, its age, its origin, its breed, its veterinary antecedents, the medicines administered, and the food diet to which it has been subjected, etc.